Prusa I3 MK3S Review, an Award-winning 3D Printer

Since the invention of 3D printers, the world has witnessed the birth of several printers. Every 3D printer that has ever been invented was created to fix a certain problem when it was created.

For instance, the Original Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer was introduced in 2017. All through 2017 to 2018, it seemed like the next best thing. Truthfully, it was the next best thing in the 3D printing world until another edition took over.

Nevertheless, that’s not to say that the Original Prusa i3 MK3S has completely lost its touch. It has features and specifications that were the solutions to some of the problems in the 3D printing world. Curious about what makes it stand out? Keep reading.

Prusa I3 MK3S Specifications

• Brand:Prusa Research
• Weight: 28.4 Pounds
• Dimension: 21.06 x 20.08 x 18.7 inches
• Model: Prusa i3 mk3s Kit
• Material: ABS, PLA, PETG, Other plastics
• Compatibility: Linux, Mac OS, Microsoft Windows
• Power Input: 110W @ 110-220 V 50-60 Hz AC
• LCD Screen: Yes
• Max Build Area: 9.8 by 8.3 by 8.3 inches
• Print Speed (Max.): 200 mm 7.87 in /s
• Number of Extruders: 1
• Top Print Resolution: 50 Microns
• Number of Print Colors: 1
• Primary Interface: 2.0 USB, SD Card.
• Filament Diameter: 1.75 mm
• Automatic Bed Leveling: Yes

Cons and Pros

The Cons

• Bed adhesion is not impressive
• It doesn’t work with wifi

The Pros

• It comes with power recovery backup.
• Emits little to no noise while in use.
• Top-notch customer service.
• Has the automatic bed leveling feature
• It comes with a 9-point autocalibration
• The frame is durable.

Review methodology

Working with the Original Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer is a fantastic experience. Although it was introduced to the market in 2017, everything seems to be perfect.

For starters, the sensors are receptive, making printing on this 3D printer an easy endeavor. You’d enjoy fast printing thanks to the range of sensors this 3D printer has.

When the Original Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer was invented, I quickly purchased it because I had been following every update Prusa dropped about this 3D printer and its release date.

After using this 3D printer for quite a long while (I recently got myself the Prusa i3 MK3S+), I relay my experience with it – features and all.

As a long-standing fan of the Prusa 3D printers, I have studied how their printers work and understand how to utilize them skillfully.

With my many years of experience with these Prusa 3D printers, coupled with how much I have studied the brand and how a 3D printer should work, I would share everything with you in this review.

Prusa i3 MK3S Overview 

Design

Before you purchase the Original Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer, you’d be presented with two choices. You can either buy the kits and set them up by yourself at home at an affordable price of $700+ or purchase it at $900+ $, but it would come in fully set up. In my case, I bought the more affordable option, and the setup phase was not difficult at all.

If anything, it made me familiarize myself with the printer’s design. This knowledge came in handy when it developed an issue. I could easily troubleshoot and fix it myself because I understood, to an extent, how it was designed.

There seems to be nothing special about the build and design as it is similar to the MK 2 3D printer created before it.

This printer uses the V6 nozzle, which allows you to print with any filament material. I found this particular nozzle fascinating because I’d always wanted to experiment with other filament materials, and the V6 nozzle on this MK3 gives me just that.

The two fans attached to the print head helps to maintain the cool temperature while the printer is in use.

Efficient

The Mk3 3D printer comes with dozens of features that make it an efficient printer. For starters, you’d be alerted if your nozzle gets clogged while printing. Hence, all you’ll need to do is clean the nozzle and keep using it.

It also has a filament sensor that watches over the filament as it prints. When you need to change the filament, the sensor will alert you. More so, I noticed a huge improvement in the filament sensor on this version.

Compared to previous versions, the filament sensor didn’t work with every filament due to compatibility problems. Remember how I said I love to experiment with as many filaments as I could?

Yeah! I couldn’t exactly express myself with the MK3s, especially when it came to the filament sensors. However, this filament sensor compatibility issue has been fixed in the Mk3.

Compatibility

Regardless of the PC you own, you’d easily be able to use this MK3 printer. I use a Windows Laptop, and operations have been seamless all along. If you use a Mac or Linux desktop, don’t worry too much. The MK3 is also compatible with your laptop.

Prusa i3 MK3S Alternatives

If the MK3S didn’t blow your mind, that’s perfectly okay and normal. Then, you should try alternatives. Here are some alternatives that are either similar to the MK3S or better than it. Note that better alternatives than the MK3S could mean you might pay a higher price for it.

• Tiertime UP mini 2 ES

This 3D printer is a healthy alternative, especially because it comes with a HEPA Filter. If you’re like me, enjoying experimenting with several filament materials, this 3D printer is ideal for you. The HEPA filter ensures that the toxins from harmful filaments like ABS do not pollute the air you breathe.

Furthermore, this 3D printer is designed to protect itself. A separate caddy for the filament solves the problem of your filaments being exposed to air. Then, the closed-box design acts as a shell of some sort that shields the entire printer.

• CR-10S Pro V2

This 3D printer is another alternative for the MK3S printer from Prusa. It comes loaded with amazing features like auto bed leveling, touchscreen controls, bigger build space, and most importantly, it is affordable compared to the MK3S printer.

The build design dimension is 300 × 300 × 400 mm. Sadly, however, it doesn’t follow the closed-box design pattern that most 3D printers are modeled after these days.

Verdict

The MK3S 3D printer is quite a great buy. First, the print quality is fantastic. Regardless of the filament that you use, the result is impressive.

In addition to nearly flawless print quality, it is easy to use. And frankly, purchasing the version that requires you to set it up yourself helps you build a personal and intimate relationship with it.

It helps you to understand the design of the 3D printer further. For one, that makes troubleshooting easy when problems arise, as you’ll naturally know where to look.